Specie's Page                                               Reed Buntings - Birds of the Waters Edge

Reed Bunting:

UK Status: Resident.

Habitat: This  bird is similar looking to a sparrow, but is slimmer with a deeply notched tail, and is usually seen near the waters edge.. There are some more refined differences as well between the two species. Reed Buntings mainly eat seeds and insects.

Breeding: This bird is usually found during the breeding season in damp habitats with rushes and reed. In more recent years it has moved into dryer farm land, and is even seen in gardens. Nests are built low down, usually in beds of reeds, or rushes, occasionally in dryer areas in scrubby shrubs. their nests are constructed from grass, or reeds and lined with moss. There are usually four or five eggs in a clutch, eggs are pale to dark buff, with darker streaks, squiggles and whorls.

Comment: This bird is widely distributed throughout the British Isles. It can be locally common in suitable areas, however in recent years it's numbers have been declining to the loss of wetlands.